"Nngh… Bronya, this is…?"
"Yo, finally awake?"
"!!!"
Hearing Elias' voice, Bronya's consciousness instantly snapped into full alert. She quickly turned her head toward the source.
At that moment, Elias was sitting right next to her, casually licking a small ice cream cone with an air of complete relaxation.
They were both seated on the same park bench. Bronya quickly realized that she wasn't restrained, nor was she injured in any way—not even so much as tied up with a rope.
If someone happened to pass by, they'd probably assume they were just a pair of unusually attractive siblings.
"You… what exactly are you planning?"
Bronya clenched her small fists.
She wasn't sure how much of her weaponry was still functional, but considering that even Project Bunny had failed against Elias, she doubted her remaining arsenal would make much of a difference.
Recalling Elias' combat abilities—far exceeding the intelligence reports—Bronya couldn't help but feel like a helpless little rabbit sitting next to a terrifying lion.
"Heh, shouldn't I be the one asking you that? Assassin sent by Cocolia—Bronya little sister, do you still need my help looking for your 'lost gift'?"
"…You won't get any information about Cocolia-Mother from Bronya. If you've captured me, then do whatever you want—Bronya won't resist."
The emotionless girl clenched her fists tightly. She seemed calm, but in reality, it was because of the X-10 Experiment she had undergone—an experiment orchestrated by Cocolia—that had damaged her emotional circuits.
Because of that, Bronya could no longer feel joy.
She could no longer smile.
That was why her once adorable face had become an impassive, expressionless mask.
Elias silently added yet another grudge against Cocolia in his mental notebook. Maybe he really should have eliminated her back during the Second Eruption.
Just look at what she had done.
"Tsk. Kids shouldn't say things like that so easily. Most of the time, dignity isn't worth more than your life. You're not a soldier—you should do whatever it takes to make sure you survive."
With that, Elias unceremoniously delivered a karate chop to the top of Bronya's head.
"Nngh!"
It was technically an 'attack,' yet Bronya had no idea how to respond.
Being lectured about valuing her own life—by the target she was supposed to eliminate?
Clutching her head in mild pain, Bronya hesitated.
She wanted to retort that she had been a child soldier, that she had a long record of successful assassinations—including taking down more than a dozen officers.
But then again… being a child soldier wasn't exactly something to be proud of.
So, in the end, she said nothing.
"Do you have anyone important to you? Someone you want to see again? Someone who would grieve if you died?" Elias asked.
"..."
"If you do, then live. Live for their sake. This is my advice—experience has taught me that as long as you're alive, there's always hope. The dead have no future."
"…Seele."
Bronya's expression wavered for the first time.
The image of her younger sister—lost in the Sea of Quanta—flashed through her mind.
If she died here, she would never be able to keep her promise to Seele.
They had promised to see each other again.
They had promised to watch the ocean together once more!
(This person… is right. Bronya must survive. Only by living can I see Seele again!)
"…What do you want?"
"Oh? That look in your eyes is much better. Seems like you've finally let go of that pointless stubbornness. Not bad."
"Bronya wants to know your goal. Why did you stop Cocolia-Mother's plan? That plan was meant to help humanity defeat the Honkai… and to find Seele…"
Bronya stared directly into Elias' eyes.
She simply couldn't understand this boy. He was supposed to be her enemy, yet he had just been persuading her to value her own life. He hadn't harmed her at all—in fact, she even sensed kindness from him.
For a moment, Bronya almost doubted her own instincts. If this boy was truly a good person, then why had he interfered with a plan that could help humanity triumph over the Honkai?
"Looks like Cocolia really didn't tell you the full truth. Tell me, how exactly did that vixen deceive you?"
"Bronya does not understand what you are implying. Cocolia-Mother deceived Bronya?"
Her expression remained blank, but Elias could hear the confusion in her voice.
It became clear to him—Cocolia had only told Bronya part of the plan. She must have fed her a story about 'awakening the Herrscher power inside Raiden Mei' to discover a way to defeat the Honkai… and to save Seele from the Sea of Quanta.
But what she hadn't told Bronya was the full scope of her plan—or the catastrophic consequences that would follow.
"Then let me enlighten you about what your dear 'Cocolia-Mother' is really planning…"
"???"
Elias proceeded to explain—
Cocolia's true plan was to sacrifice the entire city of Nagazora—millions of innocent people—to artificially trigger a large-scale Honkai Eruption.
All to force Mei into awakening as the Herrscher of Thunder.
He also told her everything Cocolia had already done—
How she had framed Mei's father and thrown him in prison.
How she had bribed students to bully Mei at school.
And how she had even resorted to kidnapping to further her schemes.
"This… this can't be… Bronya didn't know… Cocolia-Mother wants to kill an entire city? H-How could this be happening…?"
Bronya's mind reeled as she felt her entire world crumble before her.
"Hm. I don't have any direct proof to show you, but be honest with yourself—you know what kind of woman your 'mother' truly is, don't you?"
"…Bronya… cannot refute that."
The once-determined girl now hung her head, looking utterly lost. She turned her gaze to the bustling street around her, watching the countless pedestrians pass by.
Were all these people really going to die just because of Cocolia's plan?
Even if Bronya did find a way to save Seele through Mei's awakening…
At what cost?
She knew how kind Seele was.
If millions of lives were sacrificed just to bring her back, Seele would never forgive herself.
Even if her body was saved, her heart would be shattered beyond repair.
And that…
That was something Bronya could never allow.
"Looks like you've figured it out. Good. Now, it's your turn to give me some intel."
"…What do you want to know?"
"Relax, nothing major. I'm just curious… Cocolia is your adoptive mother, right? So what about your real mother? What happened to her?"
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